Participatory Democracy process
Road Safety Digital RoundtableWhat action can Glasgow take to prioritise the safety of people using sustainable transport modes (such as walking, wheeling or cycling), over accommodating cars?
Glasgow has committed in the Glasgow Transport Strategy 2022 Policy Framework to a minimum 30% reduction in private car kilometres travelled by 2030.
Enforcement, enforcement, enforcement as far as cars are concerned. Have SPT use current legislation to bring buses back into public control, therefore prioritising users and services rather than profits for shareholders. Once that's in place efficient park and ride systems can be introduced. If a single travelcard for all modes of public transport could be issued to Cop 26 delegates in 2021, why are campaigners now again being told it's too complicated.? Stop prioritising drivers in all aspects of city planning (while acknowledging people drive and need somewhere to park).
Thank you for your response, certainly making public transport more accessible to everyone would help improve matters as well as having a single traffic pass for all public transport makes sense for the future. Enforcement alongside education and engagement is crucial to reducing road casualties and encouraging more active travel.
Is that a target or just a hope? In the near 20 years of commuter cycling I'm not seeing any shift by school children towards cycling. The 'target' will take a generation to achieve not 7 years. Surely a focus on making cycle 'normal' at an early age is needed?
Many thanks for your contribution. Are there any particular changes you would like to see in the city to help promote cycling among young people?
Thank you, we currently have a full programme of on-road cycle training taking place in Glasgow's Primary schools; this is expanding year on year to include more local charitable organisations and mentors. We will soon be launching a new STARS (School Travel and Road Safety) website where teachers can find support to create school travel plans as well as walking and bike buses.
In addition to the RSU Officer's response we are also developing the City Network of protected active travel routes, which is planed to pass within 400m of most schools, with additional interventions through the Liveable Neighbourhoods programme for those schools further away. This will help to support active journeys to school and, along with other measures, help normalise this activity for young people. Delivery of the City Network will progress in tandem with the Liveable Neighbourhoods tranches of work. More information on all this work is available via the Active Travel webpage: www.glasgow.gov.uk/activetravel
Segregated cycle lanes on all radial routes into the city. Good and robust enforcement of motor traffic speeds, and of parking. Provide a good, publicly owned bus service.
Thank you for your input, we work closely with Police Scotland and regularly discuss education, engagement and enforcement to help reduce road risk. The introduction of more cycle lanes and easier access to linked public transport is key to encouraging more people to choose safe, active travel.
Thank you Patricia. We are in the process of designing and delivering the City Network which will provide a connected and functional network of protected cycling infrastructure across the city, with further enhancements to the walking environment. More information on this can be found at the Active Travel Strategy web page: www.glasgow.gov.uk/activetravel.
Act faster when advised about design problems and respond better when communities and citizens
Many thanks for your contribution. Are there any particular areas of the city that you believe require redesign to help facilitate sustainable modes of transport?
We have just run a large campaign in response to the death of our friend and colleague at the King George V Bridge/Broomielaw junction which covers three junctions on the riverside which are identified as confusing and challenging to use for cyclists, walkers and wheelers. These three: The Casino, The Clutha and the The Court at Glasgow Green are all challenging as they are the intersection of many types of infrastructure. I am currently reviewing the thousands of responses we have received to share with GCC Cllrs this year.
In addition, a very worrying junction is the Cumberland Street junction on SCW where in the last week I have seen three instances of a car heading south and turning right at the lights (which is signed for no right turn). In all instances they drove into cycle traffic heading across on a green light and did not stop, risking injury and death of the cyclists they drove at. This has already been highlighted by another responder above and I know was raised as a risk during the design and construction. This junction is terrible for cyclists heading South too, as the weird turn in the middle of the junction is required, which I find challenging on a larger non-standard bike (cargo bike) and the lights are lined up so you are constantly starting and stopping.
Thank you for your reply. As a matter of course we liaise with Police Scotland and the Scottish Safety Camera Partnership to review collision cluster sites to identify any areas that may be improved through engineering and/or enforcement. I have checked the Police Scotland CRASH database for this location and I am pleased to advise there have been no injury collisions involving people on bikes for the past 5 years. One slight injury, slow speed rear end shunt involving 2 cars was recorded in March 2020. I will of course raise the non-compliance matter with our colleagues in Police Scotland. Please do not hesitate to contact RoadSafety@glasgow.gov.uk with regards to any future issues/near misses or concerns with regards to this junction and we will investigate.
Hello Becca, I'd like to pick up with you on your reference to Cumberland Street. You mentioned right turning vehicles while the other responder mentioned left turning vehicles. Would you be able to provide a few more details so that we can gain a clearer picture of the vehicle movements you're referring to at this junction? Many thanks.
Make cycle lanes uniform and clearly marked. Stop cycles being used on non shared pavements. Prioritise pedestrians in all road situations.
Thank you, we are currently working with Police Scotland to address the issue of people cycling on non-shared pavements.
The Active Travel Strategy and Liveable Neighbourhoods programme takes a ‘Connectivity, People & Place’ approach and embeds the sustainable travel hierarchy - this means giving priority to people walking, wheeling and cycling. The city network will provide protected cycleways and improvements for pedestrians.
take space away from cars on our wide roads and create segregated cycle lanes
Hello Dorothy, the council is in the process of designing and delivering a comprehensive network of protected cycling infrastructure, as detailed in the Interim and Final Delivery Plans for the City Network. More information on this can be found at the Active Travel Strategy webpage: www.glasgow.gov.uk/activetravel.
Connect cycle lanes. Many cyclist don't bother using dedicated cycle lanes as they are on the opposite side of the road they are travelling and then come to an end so they have to cross back over. This means there is an empty cycle lane and the cyclist still using the road.
Hello Mac, thank you for commenting. The council is progressing with designing and delivering the City Network, a comprehensive and connected network of protected cycling infrastructure. The Interim Delivery Plan for the City Network, approved by the City Administration Committee in February 2022, sets out the design approach to this, which follows the most recent national design guidance. You can find the Delivery Plan document and more information at the Active Travel Strategy web page: www.glasgow.gov.uk/activetravel.